Venezuela says it is paying $200 mln interest on 2019, 2024 bonds

CARACAS, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Venezuela has started transferring $200 million in interest payments on its sovereign bonds maturing in 2019 and 2024, the economy ministry said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Ratings agencies this week downgraded Venezuela and PDVSA to “selective default” for late bond payments. “Our government keeps complying with its obligations and ratifies the call to re-negotiate Venezuela’s foreign debt,” the ministry said. (Reporting by Deisy Buitrago, writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)